cocktail review no. 27 - Candle in the Window

Humdinger. That's the first word that came to mind when I began composing this entry in my head, like I usually do. I've picked a humdinger this time, folks. If you like coffee and booze, you're in for a real treat. Caffeine and alcohol in the same drink...the most natural thing in the world, I reckon. Why limit yourself to only one high?

• 2 ounces light rum
• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 teaspoon crème de cacao
• 1 teaspoon cherry brandy
• 4 ounces hot coffee
• 2 ounces heavy cream

Pour the rum, bourbon, crème de cacao, cherry brandy, and coffee into an Irish coffee glass. Pour the cream carefully over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the drink. (Just as a side note, I now know exactly how to pour stuff over the back of a spoon and make it float on top of a drink. Dan taught us how to do it in bartender's school when he showed us how to make a B-52.) I have to say, this drink reminds of the Tom and Jerry, only without the spices and the smoothness afforded by whisked egg whites. Instead, there's the naked heat (ooh, sultry) and the tacit backing of the coffee. All this is overlaid by the surprisingly harmonious union of rum and bourbon, with just a hint of chocolate and cherry. (I couldn't hardly detect the latter two flavors, but I'm not exactly a cocktail connoisseur.) This thing will warm you up, regardless of what you think of the taste. Hot coffee and four ounces of hard liquor (plus two teaspoons of liqueur) will do that to you. Be warned, this thing packs a wallop. In short, I might consider having this drink again. I'm not the biggest fan of coffee, so I'm not the biggest fan of this drink (there's some litotes for you; I actually hate coffee). The CITW doesn't quite come up to the Tom and Jerry or even the mudslide (a cold drink) but it's good in its own right.